Hair which has a relatively flat or oval cross section typically has naturally tight curls of about 1/4 inch in diameter or less. Such tightly curled hair has proven difficult to safely and consistently relax and re-style into waves or looser curls typically having a diameter of 1 inch or more.
In order to change the configuration of hair from tightly curled or kinked to loosely curled or waved, it is necessary to strip the hair of its tightly curled structure and rebuild the structure of the hair into the new desired configuration. Previous methods of removing the tightly curled structure from hair often left the hair in a severly damaged condition. Often after the hair is restructured into its newly waved or loosely curled construction, the individual is reluctant to wash his or her hair for fear of removing any protective oils from the hair and cause further damage or loss of the desired loose curl or wave.
A typical process employed to re-style tightly curled hair into a new configuration involves first treating the hair with a caustic agent which is absorbed into the hair to break the internal sulfide bonds. It is the sulfide bonds which hold the hair in its tightly curled configuration. Next a test curl is made to determine whether sufficient sulfide bonds have been broken to allow the hair to be re-styled. If the results of the test curl are favorable the hair dresser quickly curls the hair on curling rods If the test curl fails, the hair dresser conducts a second test curl and continues with a series of curls until the result is favorable. Once curled on the curling rod, a neutralization composition is placed upon the hair to allow the sulfide bonds to reform, thereby retaining the hair in its newly curled configuration.
However, the use of the above method is not precise and often results in under or over processing of the hair. Under processing results in an incomplete recurling of the hair, and over processing results in substantial hair damage and breakage, and generally dull, lifeless and unmanageable hair.
Accordingly, a need exists for a process of re-curling or waving previously tightly curled hair, which significantly reduces the chance of under or over processing of the hair. Further, a need exists for a process of re-curling or waving such hair which results in substantially less damage to the hair.